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Psychiatric nurse vs registered nurse

The differences between psychiatric nurses and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a psychiatric nurse and a registered nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $64,922 average annual salary of a psychiatric nurse.

The top three skills for a psychiatric nurse include patients, mental illness and CPR. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Psychiatric nurse vs registered nurse overview

Psychiatric NurseRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$64,922$73,349
Hourly rate$31.21$35.26
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs608,055646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a psychiatric nurse do?

A Psychiatric Nurses role is to supervise the medication and treatment of patients diagnosed with mental disabilities, illnesses, or distresses. They have an essential role in the administration of psychiatric treatment and care.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Psychiatric nurse vs registered nurse salary

Psychiatric nurses and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Psychiatric NurseRegistered Nurse
Average salary$64,922$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $99,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CitySanta Rosa, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandCalifornia
Best paying companyHighland General HospitalNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between psychiatric nurse and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a psychiatric nurse and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Psychiatric NurseRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Psychiatric nurse vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between psychiatric nurses' and registered nurses' demographics:

Psychiatric NurseRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 18.1% Female, 81.9%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between psychiatric nurse and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Psychiatric nurse example responsibilities.

  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Staff register nurse, acute medical rehabilitation unit.
  • Perform emergency triage differentiating psychiatric versus medical conditions.
  • Perform triage assessment, psychiatric evaluations, medication administration, psychotherapy and case management.
  • Provide comprehensive medical-psychiatric care to patients via assessment, planning, evaluation and supervision of therapeutic interactions.
  • Provide therapeutic communication and psychiatric rehabilitation with residents to assist with their recovery to return to the community.
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Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
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Psychiatric nurse vs registered nurse skills

Common psychiatric nurse skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Mental Illness, 11%
  • CPR, 7%
  • Therapeutic Interventions, 5%
  • Psychiatric Care, 4%
  • IV, 4%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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